by Tommy Wesely

Image via Starz

Photo by Tommy Wesely

Photographed by Nick Haymes for Teen Vogue's October 2007 Young Hollywood Issue

Three and a half years ago Teen Vogue shot a relatively unknown Jamie Campbell Bower for his big-screen debut in Tim Burton’s gothic musical Sweeney Todd. Since then the he has catapulted to stardom with roles in megahit series like Harry Potter and Twilight. Now, the talented young actor is ready for his next epic adventure as the star of Camelot (premiering tonight on Starz). Taking a break from his nonstop schedule, the 22-year-old stopped by our offices to visit some of his old friends, and opened up about doing his own stunts for Camelot, playing a sadistic Volturi in Breaking Dawn, and cleaning up his act for girlfriend (and Harry Potter star) Bonnie Wright.

We shot you for our Young Hollywood portfolio in 2007. What have you been up to since then?

I think when I did that shoot Sweeney Todd was just about to come out. I did a couple of small roles and an international movie—a Dutch film—followed by The Prisoner mini-series on AMC. Then I landed Twilight and Harry Potter. Now I’ve got Camelot.

So you haven’t been busy at all.

It’s been all work and no play for the last three years. I haven’t been able to take a holiday, but now I’m going to Indonesia then Bali, and ending up in Australia.

What was it like working on Camelot?

We filmed in Ireland, right outside of Dublin, for seven months last year. Before we started shooting we had a month of boot camp—learning things like horse riding and sword fighting. Every day it was just a bunch of boys getting to be boys.

What drew you to the project?

Growing up in England I was constantly surrounded by the Arthurian legend. My parents are from Winchester, where the round table could have been and Arthur’s body may have been buried. The history is everywhere. To be offered such an iconic role was exciting, but it was a huge challenge.

How did you prepare for it?

[In Camelot] we find the character when he is eighteen or nineteen. He’s pulled from his home life and made a king. I wanted to bring a reality and humanism to the character. It’s not about being a king, but about being a teenage boy—dealing with those problems. The character you see in the first episode is not the same Arthur you see in episode ten—there’s a huge progression.

Did you do your own stunts?

I did, except one in the second episode. There was a 125-foot fall with a head smash at the end—I wasn’t going to do that.

How was it wearing those intense period costumes?

Joan Bergin (who worked on The Tudors and has won numerous awards) is the finest costume designer of the century—that’s my opinion. Those clothes make you slip into the character, if they didn’t you’d have to be pretty soulless. We’d have to walk for miles, covered in mud—you’d feel like you were dragging a mountain on your back, but they’re so beautiful to see.

How was shooting Breaking Dawn?

It was great filming in Baton Rouge. I had actually broken my ankle working on Camelot, so I turned up on set with a boot on. They made me take it off and work without it. I’d have to put it on in-between takes. It was blood, sweat, and tears, but that’s the stuff you’re proud of.

What can fans expect from the fourth Twilight movie?

It’s a lot darker. It leans away from the tweeny and more towards the horror genre that had originally sprung from Stephenie’s mind. There are definitely some scary moments. The Volturi get to be so ridiculous. You get see how sadistic and messed up they really are. We have the best things to say—every time we went on set it was a laugh.

Are you sad to see Potter come to an end?

For me it’s fine, but I’m seeing one of the actresses from the film [Bonnie Wright aka Ginny Weasley] and she has been involved with it for ten years of her life, so it’s quite emotional for them. They’ve grown up with it.

I have to ask, Team Twilight or Team Potter?

Team Jamie all the way. Neither—team Camelot!

You were amazing in Sweeney Todd, do you ever want to do another musical?

I definitely could be attracted to a doing another if it was right for me. I wouldn’t say no, I don’t know what it would have to be though.

Broadway?

Actually, I came here [to New York] on the demand of my agents when they were casting Spider-Man. I thought it wasn’t a good idea. I just had a really bad feeling—but I went. It was the worst audition of my life! Now all this stuff has hit the press about the problems the show is having and I was like, “Who had the gut feeling?”

Being on a movie set is wonderful experience, but it’s a bubble—it isn’t real life. Once you take yourself out of that, you go back to reality—the nitty gritty, having to get up and wash your underwear. Bonnie is always yelling at me to fold my jeans or to put the toilet seat down again. I try to read as much as possible. I write music. I’m in a band. We are actually recording a record next month.

Tell me about that.

My band is the Darling Buds. It’s difficult to keep it going with my schedule, but doing what I do gives me the opportunity to promote the band which I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. I always take my guitar and laptop wherever I go. I can write anywhere. I want people to hear my music. If they dig it that’s great, if they don’t, they don’t.

Rapid Fire: Jamie takes on Teen Vogue's Quintessential 5 Questions

Pop-culture guilty pleasure?

Miley Cyrus.

Most played song on your iPod?

“Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.

Favorite sweet?

Werther's Original.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

The power to appear four inches to the left of wherever I was—think about it. If someone has a spear and you’re four inches to the left, they couldn’t hit you.